1/4" chain isn't strong enough

[bdog]

I bought some U.S. made grade 70 1/4" chain for general use on the tractor. It has a working load limit of 3150 lb and thus a breaking point of 12,600 lb. I like it because it is so small and light and easy to work with. I found it really handy loading and unloading things from trailers. Using it with my FEL and my skid steer to pull out concreted in fence posts I have broke the chain more than once. After the third time I decided not to use it anymore and am switching to 5/16" grade 70. I didn't notice any damage to the chain or deformed links but it must have been stressed over time I guess because I don't see my M59 or my 322 skid steer putting over 12,000lb of lifting force.

Just wanted to post this as an FYI to others. Maybe if you have a subcompact it will do but not on the larger tractors.

 

[Magicman710]

I broke a 1/4" chain multiple times trying to pull out fatlighter stumps during my teenage years.

Then I switched to using a 1/2" logging chain, and never had any more breaks.

 

[dragoneggs]

I bought some U.S. made grade 70 1/4" chain for general use on the tractor. It has a working load limit of 3150 lb and thus a breaking point of 12,600 lb. I like it because it is so small and light and easy to work with. I found it really handy loading and unloading things from trailers. Using it with my FEL and my skid steer to pull out concreted in fence posts I have broke the chain more than once. After the third time I decided not to use it anymore and am switching to 5/16" grade 70. I didn't notice any damage to the chain or deformed links but it must have been stressed over time I guess because I don't see my M59 or my 322 skid steer putting over 12,000lb of lifting force.

Just wanted to post this as an FYI to others. Maybe if you have a subcompact it will do but not on the larger tractors.

Size the chain for the job... but personally I like a 5/16in chain for my duties around the property. Seems like a nice size to handle whatever I throw at it and it not getting too heavy or large to pack away and have on hand. To each his own though...

 

[LD1]

Lifting, no you will likely never break the 1/4" with what you got. But pulling?

I have broke 1/4" and 5/16" chains with my little kubota. Usnig grab hooks linked back to itself dont help.

Anytime I do any serious tugging, I grab the 3/8" G70 chains. Only time I break them is with the BH

 

[Looking4new]

All my chain is 5/16 grade 70. I am quite happy with it.

 

[jenkinsph]

I use the 5/16" chain to tie down my tractors for transport works well so far. I have noticed that I rarely tug and pull with a chain any more. While it was an every day occurrence when I used to help my dad years ago I seem to work differently now. Having a fel today is a big part of it, I carry most things I used to have to drag.

 

[ovrszd]

I believe most chain breaks are caused by damaged links. Might be damaged from the hook. Might be damaged from wrapping the chain around a sharp metal object or hanging it over the lip of the FEL bucket. The damaged link becomes the infamous "weakest link" in the chain and will be the breaking point. That applies to all chain sizes.

I agree with most comments here in regards to 5/16" chain. It's the best all around size. I carry 5/16" on the Ford. I carry 5/16", 3/8" and 1/2" on the Kubota. I don't own a 1/4" chain.

 

[Zebrafive]

I have 9/32" for light stuff, mostly use 5/16" and have some 3/8" for heavy stuff. I don't own any 1/2" If the 3/8" breaks, time to get 1/2"; other wise heavier than I want to handle.

 

[ovrszd]

I have 9/32" for light stuff, mostly use 5/16" and have some 3/8" for heavy stuff. I don't own any 1/2" If the 3/8" breaks, time to get 1/2"; other wise heavier than I want to handle.

I hear ya about the weight. I only drag out the 1/2" when pulling with both tractors or tugging on something I think might damage the lighter chains.

 

[TJP89]

I bought some U.S. made grade 70 1/4" chain for general use on the tractor. It has a working load limit of 3150 lb and thus a breaking point of 12,600 lb. I like it because it is so small and light and easy to work with. I found it really handy loading and unloading things from trailers. Using it with my FEL and my skid steer to pull out concreted in fence posts I have broke the chain more than once. After the third time I decided not to use it anymore and am switching to 5/16" grade 70. I didn't notice any damage to the chain or deformed links but it must have been stressed over time I guess because I don't see my M59 or my 322 skid steer putting over 12,000lb of lifting force.

Just wanted to post this as an FYI to others. Maybe if you have a subcompact it will do but not on the larger tractors.

Lifting no, but I bet you were pulling too, in which case you have that kind of force easy.

 

[s219]

5/16" or 3/8" for me. Most of the hooks/etc are interchangeable between those two, which is a plus.

 

[RaydaKub]

When I was a kid, my neighbor got a chain that was about 30 feet long with hooks on each end. It was from holding down Howitzers on the ship over to Viet Nam. The links were about an inch and 1/4 thick, each one about 10-12 inches long, about 4 inches wide. He never did hook it up to pull on anything that I know of, but it made some dandy front end weight in his rock box. :laughing:

 

[Ed of all trades]

I use 1/4" chain most of the time and love it, I have two 6' x 1/4" chains that I keep handy, never had a problem. I keep some 3/8 around for heavy pulling and jerking, or if I just need a longer chain. I used to have a chain that the railroad had hooked to a d9 cleaning up a train wreck, I don't think I need that anymore with my little sub.

 

[ovrszd]

I use 1/4" chain most of the time and love it, I have two 6' x 1/4" chains that I keep handy, never had a problem. I keep some 3/8 around for heavy pulling and jerking, or if I just need a longer chain. I used to have a chain that the railroad had hooked to a d9 cleaning up a train wreck, I don't think I need that anymore with my little sub.

Ed, I think chain size is directly related to equipment size. With the tractors you list, I'd definitely use 1/4". Lot less hassle packing it around

I've saw chains like the one Ray described but never tried to use one. Ed, I'm not sure your tractors would tighten it.

 

[Will_C]

I keep a 1/4" 6' chain with a log choker on it in my RTV. It may be the handiest chain I own-it fits under the seat and I am always using it to move a fallen log out of a trail, etc.
Now that chain wouldn't be my first for serious log skidding or tying equipment to a trailer.

Will

 

[bdog]

I agree with the purposes of the 1/4" chain. I was just saying most don't think about breaking chains with compact tractors but you certainly can break 1/4" under the right circumstances so be careful.

 

[dragoneggs]

I will speak my peace again... I have settled on 5/16in for multi purpose use. As I mentioned in post #3 a smart person sizes the chain for the job but 1/4in is 'light' (in my opinion) and can't be abused like a thicker chain without consequences. For those that want to wrestle with different chain diameters... okay knock yourself out and carry more sizes than you really need. I say gauge up to what you anticipate and carry that size. We are generally talking tractors here and 1/4in doesn't cut it in my opinion. I ask myself, why buy 1/4in chain and worry about if it is 'enough'. Obviously, heavy machine guys need to go 3/8in or larger but for most of us common folk, 5/16in is the ticket. My :2cents:

 

[k0ua]

I will speak my peace again... I have settled on 5/16in for multi purpose use. As I mentioned in post #3 a smart person sizes the chain for the job but 1/4in is 'light' (in my opinion) and can't be abused like a thicker chain without consequences. For those that want to wrestle with different chain diameters... okay knock yourself out and carry more sizes than you really need. I say gauge up to what you anticipate and carry that size. We are generally talking tractors here and 1/4in doesn't cut it in my opinion. I ask myself, why buy 1/4in chain and worry about if it is 'enough'. Obviously, heavy machine guys need to go 3/8in or larger but for most of us common folk, 5/16in is the ticket. My :2cents:

+1... 5/16 grade 70 is the correct chain for most of us. If you tractor is bigger, then by all means have a 3/8 or even 1/2 But for the majority of us CUT owners 5/16 is just fine. I would consider 1/4 for maybe pulling up small brush with the FEL. It might grip the smaller diameter brush stems better. But for general pulling, from the drawbar, It is a bit small for my tractor.

 

[LD1]

From the drawbar, 5/16 is fine for a CUT. But have broken it before. But that is harder pulls on dry ground from the 3PH for max power. Take the breaking strength with a grain of salt. While the WLL has a generous safety factor, Using a grab hook I doubt you would ever get near the ultimate breaking strength. Maybe half that.

Also important is shock loads. Chain dont give like a strap or cable does. If you do much jerking at all it is an easy way to weaken and eventually break the chain

 

[SPYDERLK]

From the drawbar, 5/16 is fine for a CUT. But have broken it before. But that is harder pulls on dry ground from the 3PH for max power. Take the breaking strength with a grain of salt. While the WLL has a generous safety factor, Using a grab hook I doubt you would ever get near the ultimate breaking strength. Maybe half that.

Also important is shock loads. Chain dont give like a strap or cable does. If you do much jerking at all it is an easy way to weaken and eventually break the chain

Yup. Shock loads, however brief are high loads in comparison to your tractor or load weight. Any jerk causes a deceptively hi multiplication factor in a 20 foot chain [Gr70] because it will only give elastically about 1 or 2 inch. After that the damage starts.
larry